"We intend to prove in court of law, that their actions ... broke her. She couldn't handle it, and she did the worst thing a parent can imagine -- she took her life," said Robert Allard, attorney for Pott's father, mother and stepmother.

Authorities say the three boys are accused of raping Pott at an unsupervised house party in Saratoga, California, in early September. Pott had too much to drink at the party and passed out before the attack, Santa Clara County sheriff's detectives say.

She took her own life seven days later, after learning that schoolmates had seen at least one photograph of the attack, Allard said.

Just Watched

Bullying leads rape victim to suicide

The three unidentified boys face two felony charges and one misdemeanor charge of sexual battery, Santa Clara Sheriff's Office spokesman Jose Cardoza said last week.

Formal charges have not been filed.

During Monday's press conference, Pott's mother, father and stepmother repeatedly stressed they wanted the 16-year-olds arrested to be referred to as "young men" due to the gravity of the allegations.

Allard said that the parents who own the home where the alcohol was allegedly consumed will be made defendants in the wrongful death suit. Those parents were out of town but teens had access to a liquor cabinet, Allard said.

The case is similar to one that played out in court this year in Steubenville, Ohio, where two star football players were convicted of rape for assaulting a girl who had too much to drink. Images in that case were posted on social media sites.

Larry Pott said that he wanted other high school students who might know what happened to his daughter -- including those who were witnesses -- to speak up.

"Come forward," he said. "Do the right thing."

He choked up when he spoke about losing his daughter. He explained that the Pott family decided to make Audrie's name public so that "in some small way ... her story and death could help others."

"She was so full of life, there was no denying when Audrie walked into a room. She would light it up, always," he said. "Audrie filled our house with family and laughter."

She was witty, her dad said, and loved soccer and the outdoors.

"She was sweet and she was kind," he said.

"We miss her every day."

The morning after

Earlier, Lauren Cerri, a Pott family attorney, told CNN affiliate KGO that the teen "had no idea what occurred until she woke up the following morning and had some drawings on her body and in some private areas."